Convertible display device and packing-box for articles

ABSTRACT

A convertible display device and packing box for articles including a rack for support of articles and a slidable tubular sheath or case that may be slid over the rack to retain the articles that have been mounted on the rack firmly in place on a base for transportation purposes. The sheath is slidably removable from the rack at the destination of the packing box to expose the articles mounted on a base of the rack and is then foldable into a flat condition so that it may be mounted onto the rack and retained by the latter. The sheath bears advertising material or inscriptions on selected portions of its outer surfaces so that when the flattened sheath is mounted on the rack selected inscriptions on any one panel of the folded sheath are visible to an observer together with the exposed articles on the rack.

United States Patent Charles May 20, 1975 [5 CONVERTIBLE DISPLAY DEVICE AND 3,061,089 10/1962 Higgins 206/523 PACKINCPBOX FO A S 3,167,179 1/1965 Goldstein 3,326,361 6/1967 Zimmerman 206/44 R [75] Inventor: Hickel Charles, St Nom La Breteche. France [73] Assignee: Compagnie Industrielle des Piles Electroniques CIPEL", Levallois Perret, France [22] Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 389,442

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug 21, 1972 France 72.29822 [52] US. Cl 206/44 R; 206M528; 229/9; 229/40 [51] Int. Cl 865d 5/04; 865d 5/52 [58] Field of Search 206/44 R, 45.28, 45, 45.14, 206/45.19, 486, 523; 29/9, 19,40

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.115269 4/1938 Lane 229/9 3,165,200 1/1965 Hanson 206/45.l4

Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A convertible display device and packing box for articles including a rack for support of articles and a slidable tubular sheath or case that may be slid over the rack to retain the articles that have been mounted on the rack firmly in place on a base for transportation purposes. The sheath is slidably removable from the rack at the destination of the packing box to expose the articles mounted on a base of the rack and is then foldable into a flat condition so that it may be mounted onto the rack and retained by the latter. The sheath bears advertising material or inscriptions on selected portions of its outer surfaces so that when the flattened sheath is mounted on the rack selected inscriptions on any one panel of the folded sheath are visible to an observer together with the exposed articles on the rack.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEB HAY 20 I975 SHEET 10F 2 FIG! PATENTEB HAY 2 0 I975 SHEET 2 0F 2 CONVERTIBLE DISPLAY DEVICE AND PACKING-BOX FOR ARTICLES BACKGROUND AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention concerns a convertible display device and packing box for articles, capable of use for transporting these objects and displaying them at their destination more particularly for offering them for sale at such destination.

It is a known practice to arrange articles for sale on display stands acting as supports for those articles and capable of being marked with advertising or publicity inscriptions.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a novel, convertible display device and packing box for articles, which may be used directly as a packing box for shipping or transporting the articles to a destination, at which the articles are to be sold or displayed, and at that destination be converted to a display rack with visible inscriptions.

The present invention concerns a convertible display device and packing box for articles, comprising a stand or rack for support of articles provided with means for fixing thereto a publicity or advertising panel, bearing descriptive or advertising inscriptions relating to those articles. which may be viewed at the same time as the articles are displayed on the rack, together with a slidable case or sheath into which the rack for the articles may be slid to form a packing box, characterized in that the said advertising or publicity panel bearing at least the said inscription is a part of the sheath so that the sheath and the rack constitute a packing-box for the articles when the rack is slid into the casing, whereas when the rack is slid out of the sheath the sheath may be folded and mounted on or'secured to the rack to constitute a display device for the said articles with visible data regarding them.

According to one characteristic and feature of the invention, the said sheath may be removed and folded for mounting on the rack so as to constitute publicity panel for the articles displayed on the rack.

According to another characteristic and feature of the invention, the said sheath or case has longitudinal scorings or folds, opposite to' each otherand along which the sheath may be flattened for mounting on the rack so that selected inscriptions are viewable directly adjacent to the said exposed articles carried on the said rack.

According to another characteristic and feature of the invention, the said rack for articles comprises at least one slot into which at least a portion of an edge of the panel made of the folded sheath may be inserted to serve for fixation of the panel of the folded sheath on the rack.

In a particular embodiment, the said rack for supporting the articles comprises two vertical slots intended to have fitted therein at least a portion ofrespective of the lateral edges of the inscription panelof the sheath for fixation of said panel to the rack.

Other objects, characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and reference to the accompanying drawing form a part hereof and in which:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective a partially open combi nation display stand and sheath forming a packing box for articles, according to the invention when the two are being used as a packing-box for articles, and

FIG. 2 shows in perspective the combination according to the invention, being used as a display stand for the said articles and bearing the folded sheath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The convertible display stand or rack and packingbox shown in the figures comprises two primary elements: a rack 1 for supporting articles; a deformable sheath 2 intended to serve with the said rack l for articles, either as a packing-box for articles such as 3 (FIG. I) or a display stand for those articles 3 (FIG. 2).

The rack or stand 1 for support of articles comprises a base 11, whose substantially horizontal top face has recesses, sockets or pigeon holes 12 for receiving and supporting articles 3 therein consisting, here, for example, of pocket flashlights. A substantially vertical lateral part 13 integrated with the base 11 forms the rear wall of the rack 1. This vertical wall 13 has a height substantially equal to the height of the articles 3 when they are mountedin the pigeon holes 12 of the base'll. Two

truncated vertical side walls, such as 14, are arranged orthogonally in relation to the base 11 and to the wall 13. Preferably, the base 11 and its rear and side walls 13 and 14 are of integral construction.

The case or sheath 2 in which the rack 1 for articles 3 may be slid frictionally is in tubular form and in this embodiment, has a rectangular cross-section. The dimensions of the faces of the sheath 2 are chosen so that in tubular form the sheath has a periphery such that when slid over the rack 1 it will surround the wall 13 of rack l and its base 11, on which the articles 3 are mounted, being in direct contact with the bottom face of the base 11, the outside face of the wall 13 and the top ends of each of the articles 3. The latter thus are held in immobile in their respective pigeon holes. The sheath 2, in the installed surrounding position on the rack l for articles thus with the rack l constitutes a packing-box for those articles.

The foldable sheath or case 2 is also intended to provide advertising or publicity panels that are fixable onto the rack 1 to form, with the rack, a display device for those articles. For such purpose, the case or sheath bears, on at least one of its faces, an advertising inscription with respect to the articles, such inscription relating, for example, to their origin, their use or their destination and/or their advantages.

Such an inscription is arranged to be visible to an observer on all or a part of the outer face concerned of the case or sheath 2, adjacent to the articles.

The case or sheath 2, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. I, when slid off the rack 1, may be deformed by folding to flattened condition along its longitudinal fold lines or scoring so that when it is flattened, it forms the aforementioned advertising or publicity panel designated generally by the reference numeral 20 in FIG. 2.

The case or sheath 2 comprises longitudinal scorings or fold lines 21 and 22 along diagonally opposite locations which define large panels 23 and small panels 24. It bears, moreover, on the outer face of panel 23, limited by fold line or scorings 21, a first inscription shown here by example as the letters X, Y, Z. It bears, on the outer face of its smaller panel 24 defined by the fold line or scorings 22, a second inscription, shown here, by example, as the letters X, Y, Z in upside down and reverse relationship to letters X, Y, Z, Thus, when the sheath is flattened and mounted on the rack 1 the sec ond inscription X, Y, Z may be read directly only after the flattened casing, forming a panel, has been turned through 180 about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the panel, whereas the inscription X, Y, Z may be read directly. The inscription X, Y, Z is effected on a portion of the face 23 having a width equal to that of the face 24 and corresponding to the height of the vertical wall 13 of the rack 1 for the articles. That inscription X, Y, Z is followed by patterns such as 25 arranged on the remaining portion of the face 23; these patterns are neutral, that is, they may be observed just as well with either side up. The other two faces of the casing may also bear identical and/or different inscriptions in relation to those borne respectively by the faces 23 and 24, set out in a like manner, the non-visible large face bearing, like the face 23, neutral patterns. The inscriptions borne by the various faces of the panel may, for

example, each be in a different language.

The rack 1 for articles comprises two vertical slots and 16 formed in the rear face of the vertical wall 13 respectively in the vicinity of its two lateral edges. Those two slots are intended for reception of the two edges of the publicity panel 20, formed by the flattened sheath 2 for fixation of the folded sheath 2 thereof on the rack. The sheath 2 has, for that purpose, two transverse fold lines or scorings 26 and 27 provided adjacent the periphery of the sheath, in the vicinity of its two ends, these fold lines or scorings 26 and 27 enhance insertion of the two end edge portions of the panel of folded sheath 2, in the slots 15 and 16 provided in the rear wall 13 of the support 1. When the panel 20 is in position shown in FIG. 2 on the rack l whatever the inscription selected here X, Y, Z, may be, that inscription lies above the level of the articles 3 and faces toward the front of the said display rack l and is visible with the patterns such as at that time, the inscription X, Y Z borne by the face 24 is, on the contrary, hidden by the vertical wall 13 and any other two inscriptions borne by the other two faces of the sheath are located on the rear faces of the folded sheath.

When the inscription X, Y, Z is selected to be visible, the latter inscription as well as the patterns 25 will appear adjacent to the articles 3 by a simple rotating of the panel 20, 180 prior to mounting it in slots 15 and 16 of the rack and the inscription X, Y, Z will then be hidden by the wall 13.

In the embodiment described, the rack l for articles is a unitary structure and is made, to great advantage, of a slightly compressible substance; it can, for example, be made of an expanded plastic substance such as expanded polystyrene; and the sheath 2 intended to provide the panel 20, is, for example, made of cardboard.

The present invention has been described with reference to an embodiment presented by way of an example only and is illustrated in the drawing. It is evident that, without departure from the scope of the claims, variations in details may be made and/or certain of the described means may be replaced by other technically equivalent means. There is no intention of limitation to the exact disclosure herein presented.

What is claimed is:

1. Article display package comprising an articlecarrying support, a paralleleliped removable protective sleeve mountable on the support to enclose articles carried on said support, said sleeve having on at least two consecutive outer surfaces a separate publicity mes sage, the said sleeve being scored along two of its longitudinal edges so that on removable from the support said sleeve may be flattened by folding solely along said scored longitudinal edges, so as to form a flat publicity panel one side of which comprises the said two publicity messages, said support comprising a base on which said articles are carried and an upstanding lateral wall, said wall having vertical slots, each for accommodating at least one portion of each of the lateral edges of the panel resulting from folding of said sleeve, said edges serving thus for fastening the said panel on the said wall so that only a single message at one time will be visible opposite the articles carried by the support and oriented so that such message can be interpreted directly by a viewer.

2. Article display package according to claim 1, characterized in that the said sleeve has a cross-section of a quadrilateral shape and that each at least two of its outside faces includes a publicity message, each such message being applied on at least one portion of a corresponding face so that when said panel is fastened to said support only a selected one of the messages may be visible at such time adjacent to the articles and be positioned in a direction making it possible for an observer to interpret such one message directly.

3. Display package according to claim 1, in which the said sleeve is dimensioned so that when the sleeve is mounted on the said support carrying the articles the internal surfaces of said sleeve are in direct contact with the said support and each one of the said articles carried on the support so as to effect locking of these articles on the said support.

4. Display package according to claim 1, in which the said sleeve comprises two transverse scorings along the circumference of the sleeve respectively in proximity to the extremities of the sleeve to permit the engagement of the lateral edges of the panel in the respective slots.

5. Display package according to claim 1, in which the said article-carrying support comprises means providing for the maintenance of the said articles in contact with the said base.

6. Display device according to claim 1, in which the said wall has an elevation corresponding substantially to that of the articles above the said base.

7. Display package according to claim 1, in which said sleeve is rectangular in transverse section.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRAEEEMARK @FFKTE @ERTEFJEQAEFE E QQREGETWN Q PATENT NO. 3,88M,3L 9

DATED 1 May 20, 1975 ENVENTOMS) Charles Hickel H certified that error appears in the above-identified parent and that said Letters Patenr are hereby corrected as shown below:

The name of the inventor should read --=-Charles Hickel-- not "Hickel, Charles" igned and %med e nineteenth y a? Augllsf1975 BEAM Arzesz:

RUTH c MASON c. MARSHALL DANN Hues-[mg fjllt (nnzlnixximzcr nfPalenls and Tradc'murks 

1. Article display package comprising an article-carrying support, a paralleleliped removable protective sleeve mountable on the support to enclose articles carried on said support, said sleeve having on at least two consecutive outer surfaces a separate publicity message, the said sleeve being scored along two of its longitudinal edges so that on removable From the support said sleeve may be flattened by folding solely along said scored longitudinal edges, so as to form a flat publicity panel one side of which comprises the said two publicity messages, said support comprising a base on which said articles are carried and an upstanding lateral wall, said wall having vertical slots, each for accommodating at least one portion of each of the lateral edges of the panel resulting from folding of said sleeve, said edges serving thus for fastening the said panel on the said wall so that only a single message at one time will be visible opposite the articles carried by the support and oriented so that such message can be interpreted directly by a viewer.
 2. Article display package according to claim 1, characterized in that the said sleeve has a cross-section of a quadrilateral shape and that each at least two of its outside faces includes a publicity message, each such message being applied on at least one portion of a corresponding face so that when said panel is fastened to said support only a selected one of the messages may be visible at such time adjacent to the articles and be positioned in a direction making it possible for an observer to interpret such one message directly.
 3. Display package according to claim 1, in which the said sleeve is dimensioned so that when the sleeve is mounted on the said support carrying the articles the internal surfaces of said sleeve are in direct contact with the said support and each one of the said articles carried on the support so as to effect locking of these articles on the said support.
 4. Display package according to claim 1, in which the said sleeve comprises two transverse scorings along the circumference of the sleeve respectively in proximity to the extremities of the sleeve to permit the engagement of the lateral edges of the panel in the respective slots.
 5. Display package according to claim 1, in which the said article-carrying support comprises means providing for the maintenance of the said articles in contact with the said base.
 6. Display device according to claim 1, in which the said wall has an elevation corresponding substantially to that of the articles above the said base.
 7. Display package according to claim 1, in which said sleeve is rectangular in transverse section. 